US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Cairo on Sunday (Oct 15) and will head back to Israel on Monday for his second visit in less than a week following his visit to six Arab countries, said the State Department. Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s office said he is in talks with international and regional partners to enable aid deliveries into Gaza.
This comes as convoys of humanitarian aid are getting stacked up near Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, a report by the news agency AFP citing witnesses on Sunday, as it is unable to enter the Palestinian enclave amid bombardment by Israel.
During his visit, Blinken said that the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt “will be open” to send aid into the Palestinian enclave.
Blinken in Cairo
Washington’s top diplomat arrived in Egypt following his visit to Saudi Arabia where he held what he described as “very productive” talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During the meeting, the Saudi crown prince stressed the need to find ways to stop the conflict and respect international law, including by lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA.
“We’re putting in place with the United Nations, with Egypt, with Israel, with others, the mechanism by which to get the assistance and to get it to people who need it,” said Washington’s top diplomat in Cairo.
The United States had appointed an envoy, veteran former diplomat David Satterfield, to work on aid to Gaza, said Blinken.
“Secretary Blinken will return tomorrow for further consultations with Israeli leaders,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters as Blinken arrived in Cairo.
‘Collective punishment’: Sisi on Israeli actions in Gaza
Sisi told Blinken that Israel’s reaction to Hamas’ attack has gone beyond self-defence and amounted to collective punishment.
The remarks were made in televised comments during a meeting with Washington’s top diplomat in Cairo where he also said that he rejected the targeting of any civilians in the conflict.
Egypt ramps up efforts to get aid to Gaza
A statement from the Egyptian president’s office which was issued following a meeting of the national security council said Egypt rejected any plan to displace Palestinians “to the detriment of other countries” as well as Cairo’s own security was a red line.
Egypt’s president has also proposed a summit to discuss the crisis, according to the statement.
The Egyptian presidency has also said that it is ramping up efforts to deliver aid to Gaza as humanitarian aid from several countries is building up in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula due to a failure to reach a deal enabling its safe delivery into the Palestinian enclave.
Humanitarian aid stuck on border
Images show a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid as well as volunteers lined up near the Rafah crossing – the only passage in and out of the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel – which has been closed since Tuesday (Oct 10).
On Sunday, witnesses told AFP that concrete blocks installed by the Egyptians to fortify the border following Israel’s bombings were still in place indicating that no passage was being considered any time soon.
In an interview with CNN, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that while the Rafah crossing was open, the roads leading to it in Gaza were “inoperable” due to Israeli bombardment.
The United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths on Saturday said that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is now “fast becoming untenable,” with no power, water or fuel in Gaza, and food is running dangerously low.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
recommended stories
recommended stories
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
